


The Fall

by SLynn



Series: Happy Enough [3]
Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, Secret Relationship, season 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-03-24
Updated: 2005-03-24
Packaged: 2018-01-01 00:41:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1038299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLynn/pseuds/SLynn





	The Fall

**Title:** The Fall  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** None  
 **Season:** Thru Four  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m only borrowing; I’ll drop them back off tomorrow.

 **Summary:**  
Takes place shortly after ‘Happy Enough’ and about seven months before the start of ‘Issues’. In chapter one of ‘Issues’ I recapped what had happened during the gap and mentioned how both Nick and Amy found out about Greg and Sara being a couple. This is Nick’s. I plan to write Amy’s too, just not right now.

_Well I got something written, that's something at least. I started writing this first from Greg and Sara's POV but it was too long and too angsty (is there really such a thing?) so I did what I'd always been advised to do and what generally works, I switched POVs. Now it's all Nick and I think it's the first time I've done one that way, at least with Nick. I'm okay with it but not thrilled. Mostly relieved to have it done. I'll stop rambling now and post the dang story. :)_

**The Fall**

Nick wandered towards the break room that night about four hours before shift started.

He was working a hit and run of a city counsel member’s daughter and had gotten probably three hours sleep in the last two days. Fortunately they’d finally caught a break in the week old case but there was still a lot to do. Grissom wasn’t pushing him, knowing Nick worked as fast as he could no matter who was involved, but Ecklie was. The man had actually paged him twice today for an update, there was no telling how often he’d called Griss.

Entering the room he saw its only occupant staring absently at the wall from her seat at the table, pizza box before her.

“Hey Amy,” he said heading to the fridge for a soda, “you’re here kind of early.”

”Late actually,” she said still staring forward for a moment, “Real late.”

”What?” he asked coming over and sitting down across from her, “You didn’t go home?”

“No,” she said through a yawn, stopping to rub her eyes. “Day shift called in sick again.”

”It’s eight-thirty. Where’s Thompsen?”

Amy laughed as she opened the pizza box and picked out another piece.

“What?” he asked again. “Isn’t this the time he’s normally here.”

”Yeah, sure,” she said after taking a bite.

After taking a few more bites she looked back up at him.

“I’m sorry,” she said putting it down and turning the box to him, “Do you want some?”

”Thanks,” he said taking a slice himself.

“No, thank you. If you don’t eat some I’ll eat it all. I’ve gained eleven pounds since starting this job. I wish someone would have told me that about grave shift.”

”You know there’s a gym right,” Nick said seriously.

“Gym?” Amy asked, “I’ve heard that word before but I’m not quite sure what it means. Gym? No, doesn’t ring a bell.”

Nick laughed.

“Come on, it’s good for you,” Nick chided, “You’ll feel better and sleep better.”

”Cardiac arrest is good for now one,” Amy countered, “And if I wanted to feel better I’d get something chocolate, sleep better I’d get something alcoholic.”

”You’re not serious,” he said still laughing.

Amy shrugged him off with a smile before throwing away what was left of her slice.

“I’m a science geek,” she said after a minute, “what did you expect?”

”Well Greg…”

”Don’t,” she stopped him quite seriously, “Don’t start with the Greg comparisons. It may have failed to escape your attention but Greg and I are not the same person.”

”I’m sorry,” he said really worried he’d offended her.

“Not your fault,” she said waving him off and lowering her voice, “I’ve just spent the whole day with Ecklie who was constantly going on with the ‘Sanders this’ and ‘Sanders that’. I mean, I just got you guys on graves to stop that. And I love Greg as much as the rest of you do but I’m not sure how much more comparison I can take.”

”I’ll stop.”

”I’d appreciate that,” she said smiling again. “How is he by the way? I haven’t heard from him in a few days. I know he was kind of sick.”

“He says it’s a cold, but you know Greg. I think he’s coming in tonight.”

”Well I’ll see him then I hope.”

”You’re on tonight too?” he asked after finishing his slice.

“Yeah, my first triple. I’m so excited.”

”Why don’t you take a break? Crash out in here for awhile.”

”Maybe later,” she said with a nod. “Got too much to do right now. Normally I’d blame days for the backlog but…”

Nick laughed again as Amy stood to go. She got to the door and stopped before turning back around.

“Wait, aren’t you here early too?”

”A little,” he said standing up and stretching before tossing his empty soda can into the recycle bin.

“Hit and run?” she questioned knowing that was the hottest case on the board.

Nick nodded.

“Well, good luck,” she said giving him one last smile and a wave before moving off to the lab.

Nick watched her go before heading towards the trace lab. Halfway there his phone rang. Checking the caller ID window he wasn’t surprised to see Sara’s name pop up. They were technically working the case together but she was also busy on another. She likely wanted an update.

“Hey Sara,” he said forgoing formalities as he answered.

“Nick,” was all she said at first and he could hear the tremble in her voice.

“What’s wrong?”

She didn’t answer immediately so, turning from the lab and walking back towards the break room to get out of the congestion of the hall, he asked again.

“You still have a key to Greg’s apartment, right?” she asked, sounding a little better but not much.

”Yeah, I do,” Nick answered.

Dr. Tracey, Greg’s specialist, had advised him to give out a spare key to a friend in case of emergencies. Nick had one and he knew Sara had the other. It was strictly precautionary and he’d always hoped to never need it.

“Good,” Sara responded, her voice getting steadily stronger. “Can you go by and pick up some spare clothes for him and his medication? I forgot to bring them.”

“Bring them where?” Nick asked growing more concerned as the conversation continued.

Sara’s breath hitched on the other end and when she came back on she sounded close to tears again.

“UMC.”

”Is he okay?”

“I don’t know. They won’t tell me anything because I’m not the damn next of kin and I can’t reach his parents.”

”What happened?”

”He passed out,” she answered quietly.

“Okay,” he said as calmly as he could, “Sara, I’ll be there as soon as I can, alright? Just hold on.”

”Okay,” she echoed and hung up.

Nick did the same and moved to the DNA lab in search of Amy.

“I need a favor,” he said as he came into the room.

“Sure,” she said looking up and seeing the look on his face.

“Thanks. Grissom is going to be here in like, ten to fifteen minutes. I was supposed to meet him for a brief. Can you tell him that I had an emergency come up and I’ll be back as soon as I can? The reports are all on file and he shouldn’t have a problem finding what he needs but I’ve got to leave.”

”Is everything okay?” she asked worried for him.

For a second he was just going to say ‘yeah’ and leave it at that but the way she was looking at him, so concerned, he couldn’t.

“Greg’s back in the hospital.”

”Is he…”

”I don’t have any details; I’ll call you when I do but I’ve got to go.”

”No go. Go.” she urged, “Do you want me to pass that on to Grissom too?”

”Wait on that until we know something more.”

Amy nodded and he was gone.

Nick drove faster then he should have to Greg’s apartment. It was completely dark and in a bit of disarray, not uncommon considering the owner.

Moving to the bedroom Nick found a duffel bag and put a few pairs of sweat pants and t-shirts into it along with underwear, socks and a pair of shoes just in case. The bed was made which he found odd but Nick didn’t stop.

The biggest mess was in the bathroom.

There was water on the floor, the shower curtain was torn and there was some blood still in the tub. Nick guessed now that Greg must have passed out here in the shower. Silently thanking the fact that Sara had come by at all, something he knew she did from time to time just to check on Greg, Nick knew that it might be really bad and tried to prepare himself for that mentally. Taking all the prescription bottles he found in the cabinet with him, he was ready to go.

Back on the road he once more raced across town to UMC.

After getting directions from the front desk he found Sara on the fourth floor in the waiting room. She stood up as he came into the room and wiped her hands across her face and then on her jeans.

“Dr. Tracey just left,” she said sounding better then she had on the phone. “Greg’s still not awake but she thinks he’ll be fine.”

”What happened Sara?” he said touching her briefly on the arm.

Sara shook her head and covered her face with her hands unable to speak. Nick knew she was shaken up but he hadn’t been expecting this. Taking her into his arms to comfort her a minute passed before she was okay enough to answer.

“Nick, I thought he was…” she stammered shaking her head, “I thought… you know, I knew he wasn’t feeling good but he’s so damn…”

”Slow down,” he said moving her back to the chairs and easing her into the seat, “Just go slow okay?”

Sara nodded and took a deep breath before continuing.

“Greg’s been sick. Ever since he got caught in that storm last week I knew he had been but he kept insisting he was okay. And tonight after we got up we had dinner, he said he felt like going to work so I didn’t argue with him because he looked alright. And then he went to take a shower and not ten minutes later I heard him fall…”

Sara stopped and put her head down again. Nick rubbed her back and waited for her to pick up where she’d left off.

“I rushed in, saw him unconscious and called nine-one-one. I couldn’t wake him up.”

Nick nodded again, taking it in and beginning to see something he hadn’t before. But he didn’t know, not yet. Sara was obviously upset and he didn’t want to say anything that might upset her further.

But when he looked back up at her she was staring at him pretty intently as if judging how much he knew. Testing the waters.

“We’ve been together now for about a month,” she said evenly looking him square in the face. “Timing is horrible and it’s probably completely inappropriate…”

”Sara you don’t have to explain this to me,” he cut her off, his voice compassionate.

“I just keep thinking that I’ve already wasted so much time,” Sara said as she buried her head into her hands again, looking down towards the floor, “That I spent so much time just pushing him away even after I knew how I felt. And this could be it. What if this is it?”

Nick continued to rub her back and tried to find some way of comforting her. He was in a bit of shock honestly.

The door across from them opened and Dr. Tracey was back in the room and coming towards them saving them both from the awkwardness of the conversation.

They both stood up to greet her and she smiled at them immediately and they knew it had to be good news.

“He’s awake,” she said immediately before they could ask any questions, “Groggy and not quite sure where he is, but awake.”

”What happened?” Sara asked, “Is it the cancer?”

That was her biggest concern. That somehow the cancer had gotten to the point where it was no longer manageable from home. That he’d have to stay admitted for an extended period of time. It was her biggest worry and she knew it was Greg’s.

“No it’s pneumonia.”

”What,” Nick and Sara said in near unison.

“Pneumonia. Not a serious case, not yet, but on its way. Has he had a cold lately?”

”Yeah, I’ve been telling him to call you all week about it but…” Sara said letting her words trail off as she nodded and Dr. Tracey gave her a small smile.

“His immune system isn’t what it use to be,” she continued, “It doesn’t take much. I’ve been telling him that since he started treatment. If he’s not going to listen to me I’d had hoped he’d at least listen to you.”

Nick couldn’t help but smile at that, giving Sara a glance out of the corner of his eyes. Dr. Tracey’s comment had been entirely directed at her, confirmed in her blush.

“His passing out was probably a combination of exhaustion and the pneumonia but we’ve done a cat scan to be safe. We’ll have the results soon but I’m admitting him for a few days at least. We’ve started him on some antibodies to ward off the infection in his lungs but if you’d like I can take you to see him.”

Sara nodded enthusiastically and Nick was eager as well.

Dr. Tracey indicated for them to follow with a nod of her head as she turned and showed them the way.

It was a quick walk and the ward was relatively empty considering the hours. Stopping in front of the door she asked them to not stay too long because Greg needed his rest but otherwise there weren’t any restrictions.

“Do you want me to wait out here for a minute?” Nick asked, eyebrow slightly raised.

“You don’t mind?” Sara asked, really wanting a few minutes alone with Greg first but only holding back because she hadn’t wanted to ask.

“No, it’ll give me a chance to call Grissom. And Amy. I think I freaked her out good running out of the lab like I did.”

Sara nodded, hand on door, and Nick just gave her a nod and let her know he’d be back in a few minutes. He waited until she got inside before he turned around to make his way to the pay phone, having left his cell in the car.

Calling the lab first he told Amy what he knew, well except that part about Greg and Sara’s relationship. He was pretty sure that he wasn’t authorized to share that. She sounded relieved to hear that Greg was going to be fine. She also said that Grissom had come looking for him but sounded concerned when she mentioned the emergency. She thought he might have guessed that it was about Greg because he just asked to be updated as soon as possible. Nick once more asked for a favor, for her to tell him the rest of the story and she agreed without hesitation.

Hanging up with her he headed back to the room and forgetting the reason he’d left them alone in the first place went right in without knocking.

Of course he’d had no reason to doubt the sincerity of Sara's admission earlier but it was one thing to hear about the two of them together and another to see it. And there it was. Sara was sitting on the bed right next to Greg, her hands on his shoulders and his on her face. And they were kissing. Really kissing.

After stopping himself from staring, Nick looked down and cleared his throat.

Sara and Greg broke apart blushing deeply. Sara got up and said a quick hello while Greg’s was warmer still.

“That’s quite a shiner,” Nick said trying to move past the embarrassment they all felt as he walked over to Greg’s bed.

“Yeah,” Greg returned with a half smile, “I guess I hit it pretty good.”

“I’ll say,” Nick said stopping at the foot of the bed.

Sara excused herself to go and try Greg’s parents again and after she left Nick couldn’t help but give Greg a smile.

“Sara said she told you,” Greg said suddenly sounding bashful, something Nick didn’t think was possible for him.

“Yeah she did,” Nick said nodding, still smiling to let him know he thought it was okay.

Truthfully, he was happy for them. They’d probably be good for one another as they were likely only different enough to provide a nice contrast. But still, after knowing them both for so long it was a sudden and drastic change to get use too.

“It’s not like we’re trying to keep it a secret,” Greg said now and Nick laughed.

“No, no secrets. You just didn’t tell anyone or ever bring it up or…”

”Okay, okay,” Greg said shaking his head gently. “We just… I don’t know, it’s new to us. We don’t want to complicate things at work…”

”No, I get it,” Nick interrupted.

And he really did. Probably the last thing Greg needed was another complication in his life. If they wanted it to be a secret he could respect that.

“Sorry if it freaked you out.”

Nick laughed and assured him it didn’t. Well, not too much.

“So are you going to be okay or what?” Nick asked trying to change the subject as smoothly as he could.

“Should be,” Greg answered with a short nod, “Few days rest, another IV, I’ll be back driving you crazy before you know it.”

”Good.”

Greg smiled once more and yawned.

“Let me get out of here,” Nick said leaning in and squeezing his shoulder once before moving away, “You need your rest.”

“Thanks for coming,” Greg said clearly tired now, “And for my stuff.”

”No problem. Get some sleep. I’ll come back in the morning.”

”Alright,” Greg yawned and gave him a slight wave as Nick exited.

He found Sara leaving the pay phone just down the hall.

“You going?” she asked and he nodded in return.

They stood there for a minute not knowing what to say.

“Thanks for everything tonight Nick,” Sara said finally and sincerely.

“Don’t worry about it,” he returned, “just do me a favor in return.”

”Anything.”

”Be good to him, okay?”

”Nick I…”

”No, seriously. Just… he’s… you probably know he’s a lot of talk Sara, but he’s really pretty…”

”Nick, I know,” she cut him off and he was thankful. “I know and I will be.”

”Good,” he said smiling at her again before saying goodbye.

Back at the lab he stopped first in DNA. Amy immediately set down what she was doing and looked at him expectantly.

“He’s fine,” Nick said and saw her breathe easier, “its pneumonia, he’ll be in the hospital a few days but it’s nothing serious. Worst of it was he took a fall and banged up his head pretty good.”

“How’d he get to the hospital?” Amy asked sounding concerned again.

“Sara took him.”

”Wow that was lucky,” Amy said with a sigh, “Good thing she was there.”

Nick smiled and it was on the tip of his tongue to say something about that but then he remembered his promise.

Instead he said the only thing he could that was still true.

“You have no idea.”

**The End**


End file.
